While he has been repeatedly linked with the likes of Wolves’ Steven Fletcher, Wolfsburg‘s Patrick Helmes and Gabriel Agbonlahor, a player with whom he worked at Aston Villa, the Ulsterman was giving little away.

He said: “There hasn’t been a phenomenal amount of movement in the transfer market. That doesn’t really matter, I’m not too concerned with what other clubs are doing.

“We have an eye on one or two players and we are hoping to be able to do something. We all know what’s needed at the football club and I will do my very best to ensure that happens.

“We have a number of things that we are moving on at the moment. They tend to drag on a little bit, that seems to be the nature of things.

“But I am hoping we can resolve one or two of those situations in the not-too-distant future.

“I say that and you could ask me the same question next week and get the same answer, but I am aware that the season is not that far away.”